


scared

by convenience



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, M/M, kind of, tommys a little dummy thicc but we love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 10:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18467254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/convenience/pseuds/convenience
Summary: Tommy is scared of nothing. He can and is taking on the world in a three piece suit, but Alfie knows one thing he's scared of, and it's one of the most human things about him.





	scared

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darkandstormyslash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkandstormyslash/gifts).



> enjoy! i tried to do my best with the prompt <3

“Why do you never stay, huh?” Alfie asks, lying in bed with Tommy standing at the window, cigarette in hand. He watched as the porcelain doll of a man took a long drag, buying himself time as he glowed in the soft moonlight.

“Because you ask questions like that.” Tommy explains, not looking at him as he stubbed his cigarette on the window frame and flicked the ash out of the window.

“Can't help but wondering how bad I must snore if you never stay the night.” He jokes, sitting up in the bed. It's creaky and feels like concrete but it's the best they've had in a while.

“We fuck, I have a cigarette, one of us leaves. That's how it works, Alfie.” Tommy rolled his eyes, turning to him in only his slacks, leaning against the window. “We're not children,”

“Definitely not children, no, but fucking hell - don't you ever think about staying?” Alfie asks, the covers just up to hips as he tries to figure out what the fuck is happening in Tommy's head.

“No, no I don't.” Tommy lies swiftly, lighting another cigarette to occupy his hands. He's not good at emotions, and the idea of them being involved in the little bit of heaven he has at the moment sends him insane. “Solomons, all I want is a good shag. You know me well enough to know that, at the very least.”

Alfie thinks that he knows Tommy well enough to know that he definitely wants more than a shag. Maybe he's scared, under all that porcelain interior. Alfie just wished he knew. There's something about him that makes him want to scoop him into his arms and keep him safe, in the least soppy way possible. Tommy needs to look after himself, but if he can't then Alfie will.

“I'll see you again when you decide you're bored, right?” Alfie chuckles, running a hand through his hair “Fucking hell, what am I going to do with you, Thomas…”

“Something good, probably.” Tommy mutters, pulling his shirt on. “You're going to catch your death.”

“If only someone would stop being stubborn and get in bed.” Alfie grumbles, which makes Tommy roll his eyes. He's pleased to see Tommy strip off again, though, and shuffles back down to lie in the concrete bed. The pale man lies next to him, and Alfie has to wrap an arm around him to get him to relax. “You don’t have to be so tough, Tommy, not all the time.”

When Alfie wakes, Tommy is gone and the sun has not risen yet. For a second, Alfie had expected Tommy to stay with him, to wake up in the morning and want to sleep longer with him. He knew he was being childish, though, because Tommy was easy to fuck - that much was true - but harder to love, and Alfie wished he only wanted the former.

“Solomons.” Ada greets him, Ollie standing sheepishly behind her. He knew she lived in London, and so he asked her to meet him in his office about the socialist movement on her side of the city.

“Shelby. Take a seat, pet.” Alfie nodded, gesturing towards the chair. “I hear you’re making yourself well known. Writer, aren’t you?”

Ada sat down, composed. She had been talking to Tommy in the week, and she had a suspicion that this was not at all about Socialism. “I am. Solomons, is this about Thomas? I’m willing to help, just don’t bullshit me.”

“Get to the point, why don’t you?” Alfie chuckled, shocked more than anything. “Fucking hell, and I thought Arthur was the worst of you lot.”

“I see you really have no idea of my capabilities. So, it’s about Thomas. Something about his worrying lack of emotion? Overspending? Spit it out. My kid’s with my wife and she’s diabolical at cooking so I’d like to get back before I lose my house to a fire.” Ada rolled her eyes, posture never faltering.

“Your wife?” Alfie asks “Didn’t know there was another batshit Shelby to look out for. The ones that opt-in are always the craziest.”

“Alfie, you’re trying to opt-in, may I remind you,” Ada reminded him, arms crossed. “But yes, I have a wife, and I have a son. You, however, have neither and have been fucking my brother for a while.”

“Has he told you, then? What’s he said, eh?” Alfie asked, amused by the woman’s words. It was easy to see that the Shelby madness was not a male attribute, rather a female one that was passed down through influence to the others.

“Alfie, how easy do you think I am to convince?” She scoffed, crossing one leg over the other. “He is my brother, you are someone he may or may not have talked to me about. My brother talks to me about many things, if I told just anyone do you think that I’d be the one he told?”

“You’re assuming that I’d tell him, Ada. What do you take me for? If I was a shit secret keeper, would I be able to do half of the business your brothers have been on the recieving end of?” He explained, realising that it was just as easy to convince Ada as it was Thomas about anything other than sex.

“I would know, Alfred Solomons. I would know, and I would be jeopardising my brother’s trust for me and my brother’s bond with my son. I am not a stupid woman. I will help you, but I will not tell you anything that Thomas has told me in private.” Ada decided, ready to leave. “Take it or leave it. You have ten seconds to decide.”  
“I’ll take your help, crazy woman.” Alfie sighed, and buckled down for an explanation of the mind of Thomas Michael Shelby, as told by his closest sibling.

After the woman had gone, Alfie found himself enlightened but all the more confused. What did he want to do with that man? Everything, he realised. Even though Ada had told him how his brain worked, every little pattern, he still felt like there was more. Alfie wanted to know it all, but Ada’s advice had been to wait, and wait he did.

So when a meeting was scheduled for 10am with Thomas Shelby, Alfie was sure that something at the very least was going to happen. He put on his cleanest suit and waited in his office until Tommy came through.

Every time Alfie saw Tommy, he was reminded why he called Tommy porcelain. Yes, his skin was whiter than natural cotton, but the main reason was that he was so stoic. He looked like a doll, one that belonged on someone’s shelf. The first time he got Tommy into bed he was almost hesitant to do anything out of fear of breaking him. 

“Solomons.” Tommy greeted as he sat down. 

“ ‘ello, pet.” Alfie nodded “So, what’d you want?”

“You know that’s a very broad question, Alf. What are you actually asking?” Tommy asked, having been advised by Ada only days before on how to handle this exact question. If it all went wrong, Tommy would just set fire to something or tell Arthur to kill someone.

“I’m asking you, Tommy, what do you want from me?” Alfie asked, leaning forward, hands locked together on the table. “Have you made your pretty little mind up?”

“I have. Have you?” He asked again, doing his best to stay in control of the situation as he leaned forward, face only inches away from Alfie’s.

“I always have, you’ve just been too scared to see it.” He taunted, watching as the cogs turned in Tommy’s head.

“How’s this for scared?” Tommy asked, and before he could answer, Tommy was kissing him. He was practically throwing himself across the oak desk to try and reach him. Alfie reckoned that he was probably still a little scared, but if he was just comfortable enough to stay the night sometimes? He was okay with that.


End file.
